Emerald Garden's Breakfast and a Scene-stealing Huge Siopao

If you're tired of having the usual rice and 'log for breakfast, maybe its time to visit Emerald Garden.
To those who are familiar with Chinese lauriat, Emerald Garden is a landmark at Roxas Boulevard for quite some time..But the breakfast experience here seems always new to me.

Notorious for being the restaurant where the former mayor and president was dining at the time of the Hongkong bus hostage crisis, it is open for breakfast with a very limited single page menu.  But you can sometimes order special requests from the main one. The place is sometimes packed with their usual clientele of joggers and businessmen, especially during weekends. So I suggest you come early.

Above: Ham Sui Kok, Below: Honey Bread

Breakfast is composed of  Cantonese teahouse favorites like Ham Sui Kok - a sticky pie-like dumpling with minced pork and chives, Taro Puff - a fried dumpling filled with mashed taro and minced pork, Malay Cake - sponge cake made with brown sugar, which are laid out in a tray and are sold out by 9 am. Standard fare include the usual congee, and beef and fish mami.  And when you're here, never ever miss your chance to order their Emerald Special Siopao.

Beef mami

Now this is a Big Siopao

At about 5 inches in diameter, the Siopao is good to shared by 2 or 3. This bun is generously filled, literally stuffed with fillings like meatball, pork asado, egg and chicken)  This stuff is so good I can literally write an ode to it. But the thing is, if you order this, you need to have room for the other things like the Ham Sui Kok, or you'll be very full.

The Honey Bread is a small and sweet roll you can dip in coffee. It only costs 5 pesos each (would you believe the price) And it also sells out fast.

Other special stuff you can order include the Seafood Hotpot or the Beef Hofan (stir fried bee,f flat noodles). You can also try their Chicken Pot Pie (waiting time can be long)

Fried dumpling, there's also a steamed version

Seafood hotpot

The place has seen better days and definitely needs refurbishing, but the service is friendly and food is good. So come in early, jog a little, bring out the dailies, and smell the coffee. Breakfast is served at the Emerald.


Emerald Garden
Roxas Blvd. Ermita, Manila 
(02) 523-8510

Suzhou Dimsum - the best comfort food for me

A lot of Suzhou Dumplings branches have been sprouting from nowhere. Among all the branches, you must try these three because they're authentic - Malate, Chinatown and Mandaluyong. Others I can't vouch for.

Personally, I like going to Suzhou Malate, its this hole-in-the-wall place among a sea of beerhouses and nighclubs in Mabini street. This place opens til late at night. And your first  Xiaolungpao is best experienced here. Xiaolungpao are soup dumplings you dip first in vinegar,  sip the soup then finish it off.

Suzhou serves them in 4 pieces per order, I suggest two orders immediately because they only steam upon order. These dumplings doesn't have the very thin layer unlike the ones is more refined places like Shi lin or Lugang,  And at 100 bucks per order, this one's a steal.

Hot and Sour soup, very addicting, you've been warned!

Fried Beef Noodles, hits the spot, every time

Xiaolungpao -Make your tummy happy with these babies

I also love their Hot and Sour soup, the mix of hotness and sourness whets my appetite more and is best paired with their Fried Beef Noodles. We also order the Panfried Shallot Cake. And just like McArthur, I'm sure you'll be back.

Here's their menu from zomato.com
http://apac1.zmtnws.com/menus/6303474/22251c831b60427bcab9b5451ad0df75-7.jpg


Suzhou Dimsum
A. Mabini St. Malate Manila
4 spoons out of 5

Note: Parking may be a problem if you're coming
lunch or dinner time

Xin Tian Ti - the new place for authentic unlimited dimsum

I'm not ashamed to buy deals online, especially for restaurants.
when deal grocer offered theirs, it was indeed a good deal you must not miss.

for only 688 (deal price) you can eat all the dimsum you want
xin tian ti's system works like this. instead of a buffet setup they have
checklists. now tick all the stuff you want and they will serve them in one go.
btw the dumplings are ordered by the piece and they are steamed per order.
while stuff like spareribs and squid come in a small plate.

the menu consists of
yang chow fried rice
fish congee
meatball congee
fried noodles
roast duck noodle (last time it was overcooked)

steamed Spareribs
steamed Squid

the must tries:
hakao (with generous shrimp and the wrapper is paper thin)
stonefish dumpling
bird's eye dumpling
xiao long pao (soup dumpling)
fried teochow wantons
special dumpling soup

other stuff
vegetarian spring rolls

dessert
coffee pudding (really good)
malay cake (nothing malay about it they use sponge cake)
buchi
snow balls (very good)

Xintianti is located at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
Robinson's Corporate Center Ortigas